Field Trips

Page Last Updated: 10/31/2017

Local Places of Interest (Members & Non-Members)By: Sara Beth Phillips Past GMSVP Field Trip Coordinator If you are visiting the area and want to venture off onto some side trips relating to geology and mineralogy, here is a list of a few suggestions. You do not need to be a member of the club to take part in these activities they are open to the public.

#1) Cornwallis’s Cave – Water Street, Yorktown, VA – (Sandstone Cave) No admission fees – open all year round; 15 minute free parking Cornwallis’s cave, located along the water front, is reported to have been the hiding place of Cornwallis during the siege at Yorktown during the Revolutionary War in 1781.

#2) Fantasy – 10117 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, VA 23605 Store that sells rock and mineral samples, as well as other interesting items. Open Monday to Saturday 10:30am to 7:00pm; closed on Sunday

#4) York River State Park – 9801 York River Park Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23188The park is known for its rare and delicate estuarine environment, where freshwater and saltwater meet to create a rich habitat for marine and plant life. It is on the York River and is designated as a Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The pristine environment offers clues to a rich natural and cultural history and hosts fossil beds and Colonial and Native American artifacts. Programs, activities and visitor center displays focus on the history, use, wildlife and preservation of the York River and its marshes. More than 30 miles of hiking, mountain biking and equestrian trails allow visitors to explore the marsh, river shoreline and forests. A boat ramp, fresh and salt water fishing spots, a fishing pier, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and seasonal boat and recreational equipment rentals are available.(source: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/york-river.shtml#general_information)

#5) Chippokes Plantation State Park – 695 Chippokes Park Road, Surry, VirginiaJust across the James River from historic Jamestown in beautiful Surry County, Chippokes Plantation is one of the oldest continually farmed plantations in the country. A working farm since 1619, the park offers modern recreational activities and a glimpse of life in a bygone era. Visitors tour the historic area with its antebellum mansion and outbuildings, stroll through formal gardens, and view antique equipment at the Chippokes Farm and Forestry Museum. A campground and four overnight cabins allow visitors to stay on the historic grounds. The park has an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a visitor center with a gift shop. It also provides opportunities to bike, hike, ride horseback and picnic. Chippokes Plantation also offers wedding packages and meeting facilities. (source: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/chippokes-plantation.shtml#general_information)

Starting February 1st: "Turtles in Time and Space: A Conversation" is presented by Robert McCord, Curator of Natural History, Arizona Museum of Natural History, Mesa; and David Hutchison, independent scholar and collector, and co-curator. Reception and preview of the exhibition "Turtles in Time: From Fossils to the Present" follow the talk. Free and open to the public. You can register for a parking pass to be mailed to you ahead of time at: http://parking.richmond.edu/ registration/visitor.html. The Museum’s address is: University of Richmond, Lora Robins Gallery, 28 Westhampton Way, Richmond, VA 23173

Upcoming 2017 GMSVP Field Trips:Below are scheduled 2017 field trips as we kick into gear. These trips are for GMSVP MEMBERS ONLY. If you are interesting in going on any of these trips, please contact Field Trip Adviser Mary Hood at "Mhood4@msn.com​" before the due date listed by each trip. ​

GMSVP Field Trips:​​​​SCUFFLIN ACRES FARM FIELD TRIP​Please contact Mary Hood to sign up for the field trip or for additional information.Email: Mhood4@msn.comPhone: (757) 771-8675Date: Sunday, November 19, 2017

Fees: $10 for a half day (From 9am-1pm)$20 for a full day (From 9am-5pm)

Address: 261 Scufflin Acres Lane, Prospect, VA 23960

Details:The map below provides some directions to the site. We will meet at the gate to the digging site at 9AM. Sean Harley will show everybody where to dig, what to look for, etc. Sean will also collect the fees and have waivers to sign at the digging site. A 4-wheel drive is not required. You should bring buckets for collection, a shovel, a trowel, water, food, etc. Digging may not be required; you can find quite a bit nd.Participants will have the opportunity to find amethyst, quartz, citrine, mica, some nice feldspar.

You can also print out the flyer below that contains all the information sent to you in the email for Scufflin Farms

Below is information on the type of field equipment and supplies you may need for a field trip. Check with the Field Trip coordinator on what you may need before each trip. Also ask if there is an age limit if you have young children that plan on participating.

Typical Field Equipment and Supplies List:

hard hat (sometimes required) * see hard hat safety note below

steel toed work boots (sometimes required)

safety goggles (sometimes required)

rock hammer

crack hammer and chisel

plastic bucket (for big samples)

small containers (for small samples)

tissue paper (to wrap delicate specimens)

gloves (leather)

knee pads

water and snacks

* Hard Hat Note: The hard hat must not be five years old or older. The stamp under the brim indicates the month and year that it was manufactured.

Suggestions? If you know of an interesting field location or a good collecting site, please do not hesitate to contact the clubs Field Trip coordinator Mary Hood at "Mhood4@msn.com​". We are open to any new ideas or locations. Field Trip Waiver Download File

2017 Field Trips

Willis Kyanite Mining Field Trip Sept 2017​The annual trip to the Willis Mountain Kyanite Mine is now in the history books. Several members of the club join other Virginia rock clubs to attend this event.​Willis Mountain is what's known as a monadnock. The kyanite exposure resisted weathering and, as the surrounding area was eroded and weathered away, the mountain outcrop was left standing. This is very much like the famous Graves Mountain kyanite mine in Georgia. The center of the mountain has been mostly mined away. What you can expect to find is white kyanite blades in the massive kyanite quartzite; pyrite; quartz; hematite with some iridescence, red mica, green mica, apatite and possibly some blue kyanite and pale green trolleite. Some of the white kyanite and quartz here have a beautiful light blue fluorescence and the apatite is yellow so bring your short wave lamp and blackout cloth.​

Pipsico Fossil Dig June 2017​Several members of the club participated in the bi-annual fossil dig held at the Pipsico Boy Scount Reservation in Spring Grove, VA. There was a $5 fee and a waver that needed to be signed. It was a beautiful sunny day for not only finding fossils, but also just to enjoy the surroundings.

Scufflin Farms - Prospect VA April 2017​There was a great turn out from the club for the Scufflin Farms rock collecting trip. Members found pink feldspar, amethyst, smoky quartz, and other interesting finds. It was a beautiful day for this trip, temps weren't to hot or cold and it was a partly cloudy day. The rock pit was fairly deep and there was plenty of room for everyone to dig. Members from all ages attended.

2016 Field Trips

Willis Mountain Kyanite Dig Field Trip Sept 2016

Our annual field trip to Dillwyn, VA to dig at the Kyanite Mine. Perfect weather this year! This trip requires safety gear including steel toe boots, hard harts and safety glasses. A four wheel drive is also recommended. The trip begins with a security briefing from the mine owners and a waver needs to be signed.

April/October Pipsico Fossil Dig 2016The April field trip to the Pipsico fossil dig was a wet one, rain gear was definitely needed. Though the weather was pretty bad, some nice fossils were found. The event is sponsored by M.A.G.M.A. twice a year in the spring and fall. If you live on the peninsula a fun way to get there is via the Jamestown Ferry.

2015 Field Trips

Willis Mountain Kyanite Mine Field Trip Aug 2015

The club had a beautiful day for this years Kyanite Mine field trip. Club members from different clubs got together afterwards for some socializing and a picnic at the Mine's shelter. For a great article on this trip check out page 8 of our August 2015 Newsletter. Additional photos can be found on our Facebook Page.

The Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine Field Trip July 2015

Several members of our club ventured up to Beckley, West Virginia for a tour of the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. Check out page 5 of our August 2015 Newsletter for a great article on this trip. Additional photos can also be found on our FaceBook Page

Surry Fossil Trip June 2015

On June 13th, 2015 GMSVP joined members from the Mountain Area Gem and Mineral Association (M.A.G.M.A.) to look for fossils from the early Miocene to early Pliocene geologic periods along the banks of the James River at the Pipsico Scout Reservation in Surry, VA. Check out page 4 of the June 2015 Newsletter for a great article on the history of this area.

2014 Field Trips

Surry Fossil Trip November 2014

November 15th, 2014 a group of club members went on a field trip to hunt for fossils along the James River near Surry, VA. The GMSVP joined two other clubs on this trip and below are pictures capturing the event. Check out page 8 in the December 2014 newsletter located on our Newsletter page, for a great story and additional pictures taken during this adventure.

Morefield Gem Mine November 2014The Morefield Gem Mine in Amelia, VA was opened to the public for a short time in November 2014. Several members of the club took advantage of this offer and spent the day digging in the dirt. The December 2014 newsletter has an article on page 11 about the Morefield Gem Mine with additional pictures.

Willis Mountain Kyanite Mine September 2014Several members of the club journeyed out to Dillwyn, VA to the Willis Mountain Kyanite Mine. This trip was open to multiple clubs. It was a beautiful day for rock hounding and there was so much to take in. Check out Page 3 of the October 2014 Newsletter for an article on the Willis Mountain trip.

Vulcan Trip June 2014Many members ventured out to the Vulcan Materials Dale Quarry in Chester, VA on June 7th, 2014. Review the "Vulcan Trip Pics" document below for pictures of this event.

Rose River Rock Collecting Field Trip June 2014Members of the GMSVP gathered to go rock hounding in the Rose River, riverbed on June 14, 2014. Our July 2014 Newsletter captures a great article on the events of this day.

Aurora Fossil Festival May 2014The Aurora Fossil festival is open to the public, you don't have to be a member of a club to attend. On May 23rd, 2014 several of our club members attended this annual event. Check out the article on page 5 in our June 2014 Newsletter.

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